Portable suction cleaner



Jan. 2, 1951 H. E. QUEEN PORTABLE SUCTION CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. 10, 1947 Hill Jan. 2, 1951 H. E. QUEEN 2,536,219

PORTABLE SUCTION CLEANER Filed Oct. 10, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Momma/18Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE sUcTmNcLEANERHarold E. Queen, Berkeley, Calif. Application October 10, 1947, s rialNit-779,129

.' 17 Claims.

,: 3 V The invention relates tion cleaning apparatus, andmoreparticularly to improved means for separating the dust and otherimpurities from the air which is drawn into the apparatus during thecleaning operation.

In cleaning apparatus of this type the dust separating operation isgenerally performed by filtering means which may include porous fabric,porous paper, or a combination of such filtering elements. aIii-accordance with my improvement I provide means for separating theheavier particles from the air and deposit such particles in a readilyaccessible imperforate trap or pocket, preferably readily removable andformed of transparent material, such-as Vinyli-te or other plastic whichis light and not readily broken, so that the contents of the pocket maybe viewed, and when filled the pocket may be readily emptied. Thecentrifugal separating means may be and preferably is combinedwith'fi-ltering means'for separating the lighter particles not'readilyremoved by the centrifugal separation, from which filteringineans'theaccumulated dust is automatically removed by a whirling airstream and deposited in the trap or pocket.-

- A primaryobject of :the invention is initially to separate dirtcentrifugally from a whirling body of air and deposit the dirt in a trapor pocket oftransparent material where the dirt maybe viewed and thepocket being readily removable for emptying.

Other features of the invention contribute to the convenienceof'operation, lightness, compactness, portability and stability whensitting on-the floor, being adapted to b-e'dragged about by a hose ipe,or the like, with which the apparatus may be fitted for various cleaningoperations.,=or being readily carried from place byplace by means of asuitable ball or handle. a

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention theseparating means is incorporated in a suction cleaner comprising atubular body portion having suction producing means housed within thebody portion for drawing dust laden air through the cleaner. Separatingmeans are provided in the cleaner communicating with the suctionproducing means and comprising celltrifugal means for separating heavyparticles irom'the air stream and independent air filtering means forseparatin the lighter particles from the air stream," and animperiorate' removable trap communicating with and adapted to receiveheavy particles d rectly from the centrifugal s'ep-s orator, whichparticlesi'preferably .fall into the trap by gravity," 1 The inventionwill'be 'more'readily understood by reference to the" accompanyingdrawing and the following detailed-description,"in which are set forth-'b' way of illustration a referred emprimarily to portable sucthecleaner from place to place.

i s i.

bodiment of the inventive thought, it being understood that theinvention in its-broadest aspects is not limited to the particulardetailsof construction or arrangement of parts disclosed in the specificembodiment. In the drawings: g Fig--1 is a side elevation-of the cleanerwith-the dust collecting pocket and cleaner attachments removed; l

Fig.2 is a top plan view of the cleaner; Fig.3 is a rear view of thecleaner showing the dust collectin pocket in position;

, .Fig. 4 is a front view of the cleaner with apontion of "the air inletpipe shown in dotted lines;

Fig; 5 is a-sectional view of the cleaner ona scale larger than that ofthe preceding figures, the sectonbeing taken in a plane which includesthe central longitudinalaxis of the cleaner and which passes throughtheremovable pocket and the inlet pipe, parts being shown inelevation;

Fig. 6 is a section .on a reducedscale on theline 6-6 of Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is a section also on a reduced scale on the line-'!- '-1-.of Fig.'5; 4

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the filtering means on a scale smallerthan that of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view on a reduced scale showing the cleanerequippedwith cleaningattachments.

- Referrin to the drawings, reference numeral I denotes a tubular body,casing or housing having an upright wall 2, a removable bottom 3, a top4 havinga central opening therein. a cover 5 for the opening, and a bailor handle 5 for moving The tubular body or housing is provided with aninlet tube generally designated by the numeral 1, to the lower end ofwhich may be attached suitable connecting elements, either flexible orrigid, or both. which may be equipped with suitable cleaning tools forwalls, floors, draperies, and the like, as is well known in the art, andas dia rammatically indicated in Fig. 9. The inlet tube communicatescatits upper end with the dust se arating mechanism housed within the casThe tubularhousing may be of any suitable construction, being eitherrelatively short and of large cross sectional area, as herein shown, inorder to lend stability, or may beof elongated and relativelvlessicrosssectional area, in which case the housing mavrest upon its side, all aswell known in the cleaner art. 'Inacc'ordance with the pre ent inventionthe tubular casing is provided with a readily accessible removablepocket 8,'herein' shown as fitted avithin the confines-of the housing,the side wall 2 of which is recessed. to :receiv'e the pocket. The

po'cket'is preferably formed .of-transparen-t materi l,such/asvinylitei, 'or, other transparent plastic, and is adapted toreceive particles of either solid or liquid material separated bycentrifugal action from the air passing through the cleaner.

The tubular body portion I encloses a suction producing unit 9, whichmay be of any suitable construction, which is designed to draw dustladen air into the housing from the inlet pipe I and to discharge thecleaned air after the separation of dust and other material, preferablythrough louvers or other openings formed in the wall of the body portionor housing I. the suction producing unit includes an electric motor Illof any suitable construction adapted to drive one or more fans,preferably of centrifugal type, housed within a fan casing l I, theinlet to the fan casing being at the upper end l2 and the exhaust at thelower end l3. The suction producing unit may be supported upon a ring l4carried by brackets I4 secured to the body portion in any suitablemanner.

Operatively associated with the suction producing unit and preferablymounted above and communicating with the fan inlet I2 is my improvedseparating means, which preferably includes peripherally locatedcentrifugal means A for removing the heavier particles from the incomingair and for depositing them in the trap or pocket 8, and filtering meansB coacting with the centrifugal means for collecting the lighterparticles which are not readily removed by the centrifugal or whirlingaction. The filtering means B is preferably located interiorly of thecentrifugal separating means A with respect to the central longitudinalaxis of the cleaner and is so shaped and arranged with reference to thecentrifugal separating means that the dust and lint arrested by thefilter will be scoured from the filter by the rotating air stream anddeposited into the trap or pocket.

As shown in Fig. 5 the upper part of the tubular housing I is dividedinto two chamber portions l5 and I5 by means of the dust filter 13. Thechamber 15 is of hourglass shape, with the lower portion thereofcommunicating with the inlet l2 of the fan casing H, said chamber l5having a central opening 3! connecting the two halves of the chamber.The chamber I5 is separated from the outer annular circulating chamberl6 by means of the filter B, which comprises filter walls consisting oftwo stiff perforated truncated cones H which support smooth filteringmaterial. The cones may be formed of metal or other suitable material,and the smooth filtering media [8 may be cloth or porous paper,preferably the latter. Surrounding the annular chamber for the greaterpart of its circumference, but open along one side at 29, is a verticalwall l9, best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Surrounding the wall I9 is acentrifugal chamber 20 bounded by the inner wall I9 and outer wall whichconstitutes an extension of the main casing wall 2, the casing top 4andthe floor or partition 2|.

Dust laden air is supplied to the separating means through the passage22 of the inlet tube 1, which tube includes at its lower end an externalelbow 23 to which cleaning attachments, such as flexible tube H, a stiffpipe or wand W, and a cleaning tool T (Fig. 9) are adaptedto bedetachably secured. The inlet pipe 1 also includes a As shown,

4 At the side of the housing l remote from the elbow 25 is a wall 26which forms the other end of the chamber 20, and a tube 2! connectingthe separating chamber 20 with the pocket 8.

W and having an application tool T at one end thereof is joined to theinlet elbow 23, and a swiftly moving current of air, caused by thesuction producing unit 9, erodes and entrains dirt from the surfacebeing cleaned and transports this dirt to the casing i. Air and dirt areprojected and tangentially into the chamber 20 by reason of the shapeand direction of the elbow 25 and are caused to follow the curved wall2. The air is drawn through the gap 29 formed between the ends of thewall I9 and into the annular chamber I6 while the entrained dirtcontinues along the wall 2 until it strikes the partition wall orabutment 26 and drops by gravity through the tube 21' into the pocket 8.Lighter particles of the dirt which may have entered the annular chamberl6 through the gap 29 are prevented from continuing into the fan chamberby the filter 18. Since the volume of the annular chamber I8 is smallthe air is moving swiftly across its surface and the arrested dirt andlint is scoured from the filter I8 and agglomerated into bunches whichare thrown out through the gap 29 and continue into the pocket 8. Thepocket 8 may be observed from time to time by the operator and emptiedas required. Heavy articles collected by the cleaner, such as buttons orcoins, may be observed and retrieved. The complete cleaner is muchlighter than the usual vacuum cleaner and may, if desired, be carried inone hand by the operator while the application tool is applied with theother hand.

Filtered and cleaned air entering the fan casing is expelled at thelower end l3 whence it passes to the atmosphere through louvers 30, seeFig. 1. Sound deadening material 3| may be used to line the interior ofthe walls 2 of the casing l.

As shown in Fig. 5, the pocket 8 is open at the top, and is curved toconform to the outer wall 2 of the casing l and to the motor unit 9. Thepocket may be installed by pressing it down against a resilient pad 32,and then allowing it to be pressed upward by the pad against a secondresilient pad 33 which is an annular ring surrounding the lower end ofthe tube 21. The pad 33 is restrained by an annular channel 34'. Apartition 35 forms a recess 36 surrounding the removable pocket Bandcloses the rear end of the casing I,

The filters I8, I8 may be removed for inspection or renewal byunscrewing the cover 5 and lifting out the filter supporting cones l1,l1 and a connecting tube 31. A resilient upper gasket 38 and a lowerresilient gasket 39, together with the screw cover 5, maintain apressure on the filters I8, [8 and the cones I1, I! and the connector31. The lower gasket 39 also contacts the fan casing H and prevents arecirculation of air to chamber IS. The suction producing unit may beremoved, after the filters have been removed, by releasing the screwswhich attach the ring l4 to the supporting brackets l4.

The invention has been described in detail for the purpose ofillustration, but it will be obvious that numerous modifications andvariations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

.A C aracteristic feature of the invention reaceta e tubular-bodymember,suctionrrproducmgi means housedwithin the lowerzportion- .oissaid. bodymember for drawing dusti laden. airs the ;cleaner,. stationarycentrifugal separatingrineans .alsoilocatedwithin, thev upper portion.ofv the: body member communicating with. the suction producing:.meansand comprising a circulating chamber, and: a: removableimp'erforates trap .121.- ranged :exteriorly :.of.' .the circulatingchamber iadaptedtoareceive particles! fronrthe: circulating chamber by acentrifugalaction, said; body haw ing ran:- external recess. in which:the: trap is mounted. ":2; suction 'cleaner comprising a tubular body"portiongsuction producingmeans housed within said body 1 portiontondr'awin-gdust laden air throng-lithe el'eaner",stationary centrifugalmeans also: housed: within the body" portion: and-communicating'witlrthesuction producingmeans'tor separating particlesi from: the airstream,"and a removable imperiorate': trap adapted to: receive particles: fromthe centrifugal separator, said body-portion: having an externalrecessin -which said trap is mounted.

A suction' cleaner com-prising a. tubular body portion, 1 auctionproducingmeans housed: within said body-portion tor drawing dust la denair through the cleaner, stationary centrifugal means alsohoused withinthe bodyportion communicating with the r suction producing means forseparating particles: fromthe air stream,-anda 1 removable 'imperforatetrap adap-ted to receive particles from the centrifugal separator, saidbody portion. having an external recess in'which said: trap is mounted;the wall of said-trapbeing transparentso 1 that the .contentsis. visibleto an opezator.

A. suction cleaner com-prisinga tubular body portion... suction.producing means-housed within said; body portion: for drawing -'dustladenair through the cleaner stationary-centrifugal means alsohousedwithin the bodyportion-commnnieating with the suction producing meansfor separating particles. from: the. air stream, a removableimp'erforatetrap adapted to. receive particles from the centrifugalseparator,.:-.and an inlettube for dust laden: air communicating-at oneend with said. suction producingameans', the wall of said body portion'beingreccssed' tea-receive the. trap.

' 5. Asuction, cleaner: comprising atubular body membensuction producingmeans housed :within the lower. portionoi said body member iorzdrawing.dust laden. air through the cleaner, stationary separating means housedwithinthe upper por- 'tion of the ,body, member and communicating withthe suction producing means; said separating means. comprisingcentrifugal means for separatmg heavy .particles.. from the -i airstream and independent Lair filtering means for separating lighter,particles; :irom the =;-air:= streams Any iair leak; at theip'adzsmximperforatev trap located externally; of.- the rhodgpor-tion; saidtrap communicating with: the separatingymeans. and adapted to receiveparltiClES therefrom.

6; vInadeviceofthe character described, a tubular body having upper andlower-portions, 'su'ctionj producing, means housed-inthe lower portion;of said :body vfor drawing dust ladenair through the apparatus,stationary centrifugal means housed in the upper portion of said bodycommunicating. with the suction producing means tor-separating.particles from. the air stream, and rarremovable .imper-foratetrapoutside ofsaid body portion communicating with and adapted tereceiveparticles-from the centrifugal sepa- :rator; the wall of the tubularbody being externally recessed-i to receive the trap, and said-trap.beingtransparent so that the contents arevisible.

'7. In a. device of the character described, a tubular body'having upperand. lower portions; suction producing means housed in: the lowerportionrofsaid. body fondrawing. in dustlademair, separating meanshoused within the. upper portionof *said body and communicating with thesuctionv producing means, said separating means comprising centrifugalmeans for separating heavyparticles from the air stream and independentair filteringmeans also-locatedvin-the upper portion of said body forseparatin ithe lighter particles from the air stream ,priorto the entryof theair into the lower portiomcontaining the. suction producing means,and-are:- movable imperforate trap located externallyyoi said bodyportion communicating with. theseparating means :andadapted to receivehea yxpiar- *ticles therefrom;

.d In a-device of the character"described wa tubularbodyahaving upperand lowerv portions, suction producing means housed in the dowel portionof saidbod-y for drawingindust; laden air, stationary'separatingmeans.house'dinthe upper portion of said body and communicating with the sucton. producing means, {comprising centrifugal means i for separatingheavy particles from the air stream and independent air:filteringmeans'for separating the lighter particles .from the; airsticam, and a removable; imperiorate traplocated externally of saidtubular body commun cating withthe separating means and adapted. toreceive heavy particles therefrom, saidtrap beingtransp-arent so thatthecontents are visible.

9. In a cleaner as defined in claim: 1, a filtering areadisposed-parallel to the direction of. motion of the dust laden air suchthat the dust laden air. tendsto sweep across-the: filter area and thedust-is projected across and: beyond. the filter.

1 0. A, suction cleaner comprisinga tubular .body member; suctionproducing means housed inthe lowerportion ofsaid body member, stationarydust separatingmeanshoused in the upperrportion of saidtubular-memben-aninlet tube, for dust laden; air. communicating at oneend with=said dust'separating-means, anda removable imperforate :dusttrap located exterupper portion of said tubularmemb'n'an inlet tube fordust laden air communicating at one end with said dust separating means,a removable imperforate dust trap located externally of --said bodymember at a lower level than'said dust separating means andcommunicating therewith 'to receive therefrom particles removed from the'air'by said separator means, said dust separating means comprising anouter centrifugal chamber with which the inlet tube communicates forseparating relatively heavy particles from the dust stream, and an airfiltering chamber including filtering means centrally locatedwithreference to the outer chamber.

' 12. A suction cleaner comprising a tubular body member, suctionproducing means housed in the lower portion of said body member,stationary dust separating means housedin the upper portion of saidtubular member, an inlet tube for dust laden air communicating at oneend with said dust separatin -means, a removable imperforate dust traplocated externally of said body member at a lower level than said dustseparating means and communicating therewith 'to receive therefromparticles removed from the air by said separator means, said dustseparating means comprising an outer centrifugal chamber "with which theinlet tube communicates for sepa- "rating relatively heavy particlesfrom the'dust stream, an air filtering chamber including filtering meanscentrally located with reference to the outer chamber, and a dischargetube located diametrically opposite the inlet tube connectingsaidcentrifugal chamber with said trap.

13. A suction cleaner comprising a tubular body member, suctionproducing means housed =in the lower portion of said body member,stationary dust separating means housed in the upper portion of saidtubular member, an inlet tube for dust laden air communicating at oneend with said dust separatin means, a removable imperforate dust traplocated externally of with which the inlet tube communicates forseparating relatively heavy particles from the dust stream, and an airfiltering chamber including filtering means centrally located withreference to the outer chamber, said filtering means being of hourglassshape.

14. A suction cleaner comprising a tubular body member, suctionproducing means housed in'the lower portion of said body member,stationary dust separating means housed in the upper portion of saidtubular member, an inlet tube for dust laden air communicatin at one endwith said dust separating means, a removable imperforate dust traplocated externally of said body member at a lower level than said dustseparating means and communicating therewith to receive therefromparticles removed from the air by said separator means, said dustseparating means comprising an outer centrifugal chamber with which theinlet tube communicates for separating relatively heavy particles fromthe dust stream, an air filtering chamber including'filter- .i'ng meanscentrally located with reference to'the outer chamber, a verticalabutment located diametrically opposite the inlet pipe closing saidcentrifugal chamber at one end, and a discharge pipe connecting saidcentrifugal chamber with said ,Itrap l 15."A suction'cle'aner comprisinga tubular body membensuc'tion producing means housed "in the lowerportion of said body member, dust separating means housed in the upperportion --of'isaid tubular member, an inlet tube for dust tively. heavyparticles from the dust stream, and

an air filtering chamber including filtering means centrally locatedwith reference to the outer chamber, said dust separating means having acurved inner wall conforming generally with and spaced from the outerwall. of the tubular body member, said curved wall separating the outercentrifugal chamber from the filtering chamber,

"the ends of said curved inner wall being spaced apart to provide a gapto allow passage of-air from said outer centrifugal chamber to thefiltering chamber and to allow; dust to pass from th filtering chamberto the outer chamber.

----16. A suction-cleaner comprising a tubular body member, suctionproducing means housed in the lower portion of said body member, dustseparating means housed in the upper portion of said tubular member, aninlet tube for dust'laden --air communicating at one end with said dustseparating means, a removable imperforate dust trap located externallyof said body member at a lower level than said dust separating means andcommunicating therewith to receive therefrom particles removed from theair by said separator means, said dust separating means comprising anouter centrifugal chamber with which the inlet tube communicates forseparating rela- .tively heavyparticles from the dust stream, and

tering means being of hourglass shape and being located directly abovethe suction producing means.

17, A suction cleaner comprising a tubular body member, suctionproducing means housed in the lower portion or" said body member,"dustseparating means housed in the upper portion of said tubular member, aninlet tube for dust laden air'communicating at one end with said dustseparating means, a removable imperforate dust trap located -externallyof said body 'member' 'at'a lower level than said dust separatingmeans'and communicating therewith to receive therefrom particle'sremoved, from the, air by said separator means, said dust "separating,means comprising an outer centrifugal chamber with which the inlettube'communicates for separating relatively heavy particles from thedust stream, an airfilterin' chamber including ill-.- tering meanscentrally located with reference to the outer chamben-said' dustseparating means 9 having a curved inner wall conforming generally withand spaced from the outer Wall of the tubular body member, said curvedwall separating the outer centrifugal chamber from the filteringchamber, the ends of said curved inner wall being spaced apart toprovide a gap to allow passage of air from said outer centrifugalchamber to the filtering chamber and. to allow dust .to pass from thefiltering chamber to the outer chamber, the filtering means being ofhourglass shape and being located directly above the suction producingmeans, and an annular circulating chamber within the filtering chamberformed by said curved wall and by the oppositely inclined wall of thehourglass shaped filter.

HAROLD E. QUEEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

